Pre 78 Open Class

[JohnnyO]

Firko's on the money..
In the last couple of years i've ridden a '77 400 Maico and a '77 CR390 Husky both well setup and they're both very good bikes and hard to split. I'd have to say they have the edge over my RM370 but the Suzuki is still a great bike.

[Nathan S]

Fairly useless post:

Shoey's 76(?) Husky CR360 is a f%^king weapon. It's like a big 125 in its power delivery, but the sheer grunt is clearly superior to a '99 Husky 360. With the right track and the right rider, I can't imagine it being beaten.

The flip-sdie to the qustion would be "What's the worst '77 model open classer?" - there aren't any dogs of bikes that spring to mind.

[Rossvickicampbell]

Nathan - I was probably wondering when I wrote this - and must admit hadn't given the AW and Husky a thought - as to how good say a YZ400C or MX 400B would be in this group. Of course even if they weren't too far behind the later YZ's and RMs sounds like the gap back to them from the Husky and Maico would be even more.  So maybe they would be the dogs in this class.  I think as much as I would like an 84 big bore the movement towards longer races and later style tracks might mean this old body will stay pre 78 - hence what should I look at.  It also part of the VMX thing - since I currently don't have one I can look at whatever I want  - and I always wanted an RM 370 but the YZ 400 D did nothing for me - no Husky's - did they still have reliability problems with these later ones 

[TM BILL]

Rossco the 76 KX400A3  would be a better pick than the  YZ 400C or the MX 400B IMO . They are all well behind the 8 ball but i believe the KX is the best of the worst  or am i biased 

[worms]

the yz400D Yamaha has turned out a great bike for me, I think changing the rear shock to period Fox Airshock changed the bike completly and made it so much more rideable, so i guess a few tweaks to anybike fromm the 77 coffers would do the same.

pre 78 is the future!

Cheers Worms

[Marc.com]

Rossco the 76 KX400A3  would be a better pick than the  YZ 400C or the MX 400B IMO . They are all well behind the 8 ball but i believe the KX is the best of the worst  or am i biased 

Hey Bill you didn't happen to buy a KX400 recently by any chance, 

[TM BILL]

No Marc  i thought you bought it  my biased was directed at the fact theres more green than white in the shed  I would love that 400  but 

[Husky500evo]

My choice for the worst pre '78 open class bike would be the '76 TT500 Yamaha, in standard trim . In saying that , I have seen some people ride them very, very fast  .

[Iain Cameron]

Rossco Ive got both the 400c + 400d the D is by far the better bike and with the shock done by radar , its by far my favorite of all my bikes

[Slakewell]

The AW 400 is great bit of kit but the best pre 78 open class bike is the KTM of all the vintage bikes I have ridden over the years this is the best pre 80 I have rode, if you cant win a race on one of these its because your not twisting the wire.

[090]

You say pre 80. Do you mean a '77 400 KTM? I have never ridden one to compare, must be awesome to be better than the Maico. I take it you have ridden both?

[Marc.com]

No Marc  i thought you bought it  my biased was directed at the fact theres more green than white in the shed  I would love that 400  but 

I would have liked the KX 400 as rare bird. Along with the other Euros you also have Bultaco in there some place... turns out you are spoilt for choice for open class pre 78 bikes.

[VMX247]

special mention husky 390 very nice handling bit of gear

1978 Broadford National MX Series achievments for the Swede Husky rider Pelle Granquist taking out the 250 and 500 class. 
Gary Flood on a KTM 3rd in the 500cc,Graeme Smythe Yamaha unlimited 1st place,yes spoilt for choice in 78  8
cheers A

[Slakewell]

You say pre 80. Do you mean a '77 400 KTM? I have never ridden one to compare, must be awesome to be better than the Maico. I take it you have ridden both?

I have ridden both and the Maico vibrated badly and oddly wasn't as smooth as the K-Toom. At last years CD7 you could ride the whole track in 3rd on the KTM and I find the 77 bikes to ride nicer than pre 80 as the bikes became quirky with longer travel at first and didn't corner as well as. Post 80 the Maico is king with a good KTM 390 a close-ish second. I guess not many have ridden them because of there rareness. Anyone who has ridden one gets off and says that's the nicest power I have ever felt.  

[090]

My Maico doesn't vibrate so maybe it wasn't the best comparison. Sounds like we need to do a swap at CD8 to compare. I certainly would like to have a run on the KTM if you are up for it.